Chapter 11
Claudia stood in the center of her bedroom, taking in the opulent space. A king-sized bed with pristine white linens, an en suite bathroom visible through an open door, and windows that overlooked the Mediterranean. It was beautiful. It was also potentially compromised.
She set her bags down and immediately began pulling her shields in tight, preparing for the magical sweep she needed to conduct. Before they could relax even for a moment, she had to know if this suite was safe.
Closing her eyes, Claudia let her magic rise to the surface. It responded eagerly, perhaps still humming from being so close to Sam on the flight for so many hours. She pushed that thought aside and focused on the task at hand.
Her awareness expanded outward in concentric circles, feeling for any trace of magical surveillance.
Scrying spells, listening charms, anything that might be monitoring them.
The hotel had ambient magic, she could feel that.
The place was old and carried the magic of its builders with it.
At some point in the distant past, protective enchantments had been woven into the building’s structure. But she couldn’t sense anything active.
She moved through her bedroom methodically, checking every corner, every surface. It was clean. The bathroom was the same. No magical eyes, no enchanted mirrors or charmed fixtures.
Satisfied with her own space, Claudia moved back into the main living area. Sam had emerged from his bedroom and was examining something on his phone, but he looked up as she entered.
“Anything?” he asked quietly.
“Nothing yet.” She gestured to the room. “I was about to check in here, then do your room.”
“Go ahead. I’ll do the sweep for electronic surveillance.” He pulled a small device from his carry-on bag, something that looked like a phone but clearly wasn’t.
They worked in companionable silence, Claudia moving through the suite with her magical senses extended while Sam methodically checked for electronic devices.
She found his bedroom as clean as hers had been, though she tried not to notice the masculine scent of his ultra-subtle cologne that seemed to linger in the space, or the way her magic wanted to reach out and twine around the traces of his presence.
The shared areas all checked out magically, too. There were no surprises, and no hidden threats. She completed her circuit and found Sam standing by the windows, frowning at his device.
“Electronic?” she asked.
“Clean. No bugs, no cameras, no active transmitters.” He pocketed the device. “Whoever’s hosting this event is either very confident in their guests’ discretion or very good at hiding their surveillance.”
“Or both,” Claudia said. “Should we assume we’re being watched anyway?”
“Always safer to assume the worst.” Sam moved to the center of the room, his voice dropping even lower. “Even if the suite is clean, we should be careful.”
“Agreed.” Claudia joined him, keeping her own voice low. “What about magical eavesdropping from outside? Someone with enough power could potentially listen in from another room or even from outside the building.”
“Can you shield against that?”
She considered. “I can set up wards that will muffle our conversations. Anyone trying to listen magically will just hear static.”
“Do it.” Sam glanced at his watch. “Let me call Mark and set up a meeting. Better to coordinate face-to-face while we have the chance.”
While Sam moved away to make the call, Claudia began the work of establishing privacy wards.
She pulled four small crystals she’d prepared for exactly this purpose.
Moving around the perimeter of the suite’s main living area, she placed the crystals at cardinal points, murmuring the activation words under her breath.
The wards rose like invisible walls, shimmering at the edges of her magical vision. Anyone trying to listen in would find their spells sliding off harmlessly, unable to penetrate. It wasn’t perfect, but it would do.
She was just finishing when Sam returned.
“Mark and the others will be here in ten minutes,” he said. “I figured it was better to meet here now that we’ve checked for bugs.”
“Good thinking.” Claudia looked around the suite, suddenly nervous.
She was about to meet not one but two powerful men and their mates.
One of whom was a famous actress, and the other a mage of unknown power.
“Should I change? I mean, I’m still in the travel clothes Maurice prepared. Maybe I should’ve changed by now?”
“You’re fine,” Sam interrupted gently. “They’re not coming for a fashion show. Besides, you look beautiful.”
The compliment caught her off guard. “I probably look rumpled from the flight.”
“You look like someone who just traveled across an ocean and immediately started working to keep us safe.” His gaze held hers. “That’s beautiful to me.”
Claudia felt heat rise in her cheeks and looked away. “I should make tea or something to offer them. Do we have—”
A knock at the door interrupted her.
Sam moved to answer it, checking through the peephole before opening the door wide. “Mark. Nick. Thanks for coming.”
The two men who entered were studies in contrasts. Mark Pepard was tall and leanly muscled. He moved with predatory grace, his power and innate command presence evident in every gesture. But it was leashed, controlled, and held carefully in check.
Nick Balam, on the other hand, was broader, and more overtly muscular. He also had dark hair and looked relaxed and friendly, but Claudia could sense the danger coiled beneath the surface. This was a man who could smile while ending threats.
With them, came their mates. Shelly Pepard was petite and wore glasses.
She was dressed casually in jeans and a soft sweater, but when her eyes met Claudia’s, there was a flash of recognition.
Mage to mage. Claudia felt an answering pulse of magic and knew immediately that Shelly was truly powerful.
And then, there was Sullivan Lane.
The famous actress was stunning in person, even more so than on screen.
Tall and graceful with honey-blonde hair and striking features.
She wore designer casual with an effortless elegance that made Claudia intensely aware of her own rumpled state.
But Sullivan’s smile was warm and genuine as she entered.
“Sam,” Mark said, clasping Sam’s hand. “It’s been too long.”
“It has. I appreciate you coming. Both of you.” Sam turned to Claudia. “Everyone, this is Claudia. Claudia, Mark and Shelly Pepard, and Nick and Sully Balam.”
“It’s wonderful to meet you all,” Claudia said, hoping her nervousness didn’t show. “Please, come in and make yourselves comfortable.”
“Thanks,” Shelly said, her voice soft but carrying an undercurrent of strength. “I hope we’re not intruding.”
“Not at all,” Sam assured her. “We just arrived a short while ago and were hoping to coordinate with you before the events begin.”
They settled into the suite’s living area, Mark and Shelly taking the sofa while Nick and Sully claimed the chairs. Sam sat in the remaining seat, leaving Claudia perched on the arm of his chair. It was intimate without being inappropriate, and she was hyperaware of how close they were.
“So,” Mark said, getting straight to business. “What exactly are we dealing with?”
Sam outlined what they knew about Abdul Kettering, his weapons trafficking, and his suspected connection to the Venifucus. Claudia filled in the magical details, explaining what they’d learned about the organization’s use of mages.
“Kettering is supposed to be here,” Sam concluded. “Along with several of his known associates. Our goal is to observe, gather information, and if possible, identify his Venifucus friends.”
“And then?” Nick asked.
“Then I take action and end the threat.” Sam’s expression was grim.
“Personally, I think it won’t get that far.
I think Kettering is going to act against me before I have to start anything.
He’s been gunning for my Clan for a while now, and though unspoken, he apparently has a desire to end me and my Clan.
I think he’ll act, and I’ll defend myself by taking him and his cronies out. Permanently.”
Mark sighed. “I thought it might be something like that. I’ve been hearing about your troubles from my people and it isn’t hard to spot the pattern.
Which is why Nick and I decided to accept the gala invitation.
We’re here to back you up. The world would be much better off without Abdul Kettering and his allies. ”
“Ain’t that the truth,” Nick agreed. “So, how can we help?”
“Just be there for backup,” Sam said simply. “Just knowing I have allies here will go a long way toward settling my mind.”
“You have them,” Nick said immediately. “Sullivan and I will be at all the public events. If you need us, just signal.”
“What kind of signal?” Claudia asked.
Nick grinned. “Let’s keep it simple. If Sam touches his left ear, we’ll know there’s trouble and move in to assist or create a distraction, depending on what’s needed.”
“And magically?” Shelly asked, looking at Claudia. “What can I do to help?”
“Having another mage present is actually a huge relief,” Claudia admitted. “If Kettering has magical support, which we suspect he does, I might need backup. Someone who can counter or deflect if things get too aggressive for me.”
“I can do that.” Shelly’s expression was serious behind her glasses. “I’m relatively new to my magic, but I’ve been learning, and I do have some combat training.”
“That’s great,” Claudia replied, though she could have wished Shelly sounded surer of her abilities and had more years of experience.
Still, her power felt formidable, so perhaps that’s all that was needed.
Raw talent often won out over practiced skill when that raw talent was as big as Shelly’s felt.
“Now, what I really want to know is,” Sullivan interjected playfully, her voice warm and melodious, “how are we playing the social aspect of this? Because everyone’s going to be very interested in why Sam Kinkaid suddenly showed up at the Celestine Gala with a date.”
Sam’s hand moved to Claudia’s lower back, a gesture that looked casual but sent electricity up her spine. “The official story is that Claudia represents a potential business partnership.”
“And unofficially?” Sullivan’s smile was knowing.
“Unofficially, people can speculate whatever they want,” Sam said smoothly. “We’re not confirming or denying anything.”
“Smart,” Nick approved. “Let them fill in their own narratives. Keep them guessing.”
“What about us?” Sullivan asked, gesturing between herself and Nick. “How do you want us to play it?”
“Just be yourselves,” Sam said. “You’re already high-profile. Sullivan’s celebrity status actually works in our favor. She’ll draw attention, give us some cover to move around without being the main focus.”
“I’m excellent at being a distraction,” Sullivan said with a laugh. “It’s practically my job description.”
“Don’t sell yourself short,” Nick said, his hand finding hers. “You’re so much more than just a distraction.”
The look they exchanged was intimate, and Claudia felt a tiny pang of envy. That’s what it looked like when two people were truly together, secure in their relationship and their feelings for each other.
Not whatever complicated mess she and Sam were pretending to be.
“All right,” Mark said, bringing them back to business. “We’ll be at all the main events. We’ll stay visible, we’ll watch for Kettering and his people, and we’ll be ready to move if you need us. Anything else?”
“Just one thing,” Sam said. “If this goes wrong, and the Venifucus realizes what we’re doing, they won’t hesitate to strike. These people are dangerous. I don’t want anyone taking unnecessary risks.”
“Noted,” Mark said. “But we’re all adults here, Sam. We know what we’re walking into.”
“I know. I just—” Sam paused, and Claudia felt the tension in his body. “I just wanted to make sure everyone understood.”
“We do,” Shelly said gently. “And we appreciate your concern. But we’re here because we want to be.”
The group talked for another twenty minutes, going over the schedule and the various events. Mark had set up a private luncheon for some business associates the next day and invited Sam and Claudia to attend.
“I’ve dealt with most of the guests for years and have faith in their integrity,” Mark told Sam.
“You probably know most of them. It’ll be a good networking opportunity and a way to ease into this by starting with a more or less friendly group,” Mark said, shooting a look at Claudia that she didn’t miss.
He was probably concerned about her being the weak link in the chain.
If she drew too much attention by being obviously not one of the elite, then they were all sunk.
Still, the jaguar Alpha was giving her a chance and had been nothing but kind to her to this point.
Despite the fact that the lunch tomorrow sounded like a test of her abilities to blend in with high society, she found herself warming to all of these people.
“Good idea,” Sam agreed. “We’ll be there. Thanks for the invite.”
“And now, we should let you get some rest,” Mark said finally, standing. “It’s been a long day for everyone, and you’ll want to recover from the jet lag before the first ball tomorrow night.”
They said their goodbyes, Sullivan giving Claudia an unexpected hug. “You’re going to be amazing,” she whispered. “I can tell.”
After they left, Claudia found herself alone with Sam again, the suite suddenly feeling much larger and emptier.
“They seem really nice,” she said, breaking the silence.
“They are. And they’re good allies to have.” Sam ran a hand through his hair, looking suddenly tired. “I should let you rest.”
“Right. Yes.” Claudia moved toward her bedroom, then paused. “Sam?”
“Yeah?”
“Thank you. For bringing me on this mission. For trusting me with this.”
His expression softened. “There’s no one else I’d rather have with me, Claudia. I mean that.”
The words hung between them, weighted with meaning neither of them seemed ready to acknowledge. Finally, Claudia nodded and retreated to her room, closing the door behind her.